Peonies: just my luck :/

16 years ago

This is sort of a funny peony story about my bad luck. 2006: always admired and wanted a Festiva Maxima peony. Got one cheap at a plant sale and immediately decided to move; brought it with me. Moved into new house, evidence of 9 large peony clumps around the place. Exciting, wonder what they will be. Bought a Sarah Bernhardt from Walmart and planted it. 2007: Peonies bloom, all are Festiva Maxima except one. The other one is Sarah Bernhardt. Argh! Luckily the crappy Walmart SB turns out to be a mislabel and it's a nice compact bright fuchsia, I love it. Thank goodness for mislabels? 2008: Found Bowl of Beauty which I have always wanted on sale at Home Depot. Bought and planted it. 2009: BoB is in fact a mislabeled Festiva Maxima. @#%*$!

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Comments (9)

shazam_z3
16 years ago
I bought three double red peonies for the new house. All are single, most probably species peonies. Grr.
savona
16 years ago
I guess a person should be careful for what they wish for sometimes, it comes in duplicates..lol. We were given 3 large peonies last year but the only catch was they were over grown with gout weed. DH spent a couple days picking the goutweed out of them and dividing them to go down our fenceline. We didnt keep track of the 3 colours and I have a feeling it isnt going to be very consistant. At least the goutweed picking was a success. Out of the 10 divisions 2 of the plants will bloom this year, a pink and a red. They are probably common peony varieties.
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marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
16 years ago
Too funny, Gil! I've been seeing that fuchsia peony around Dryden and definitely want one! Guess i shouldn't look at Walmart for one, eh? LOL
kuzariprincess
16 years ago
How long does it take for peonies to start blooming? I have a sarah b and maybe a red and white one if they ever bloom.
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
16 years ago
Kuzari, perhaps you planted them too deep? Sometimes that's the reason they don't bloom. Are they growing tall, though?
northspruce
Original Author
16 years ago
Mine have always bloomed the next year after planting, I think.
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
16 years ago
I have one i'm wondering about. May have to relocate it - it's not growing in its current spot.
schoolb1
16 years ago
We bought this house 2 years ago and it has a beautiful peony in a front bed(deep pink)I don't know the name,but only bloomed the first year,and hasn't since!Anyone have a clue to why?This is the first one that I have ever had,I'm a hosta freak!
weeper_11
16 years ago
That is a really funny story, northspruce! I've had the same kind of luck with any daylilies that I buy from local greenhouses or big box stores. I have all these NOID's, and I don't have room for both them, and the ones I wanted in the first place!! And to make it all worse, I can't bear to just toss a perfectly healthy plant, even if I don't really care for it's bloom! Gah. I try to give them away if it'll make someone else happy.

I guess that is one justification for spending the extra money to mail order: you will be guaranteed you get the right plant - if you don't, they'll have to send you the right one!